Bowling ball identification marker



Aug. 22, 1950 w, BERRY 2,519,876

BOWLING BALL IDENTIFICATION MARKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 25, 1946 Patented Aug. 22, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOWLING BALL IDENTIFICATION MARK'ER Forrest W. Berry, Akron, Ohio Application January 23, 1946, Serial No. 642,375

( Cl. iOFS) 1 Claim. l

This invention relates to identification markers and more particularly to a plug bearing an identification tag or card insert which may be inserted into an opening or hole as the finger hole in a bowling ball.

It is an object of this invention to provide a plug which may be readily inserted into a finger hole of a bowling ball or any similar opening and to provide the plug with an identification marker.

Another object of this invention is to provide a plug which is adapted to be readily inserted into and removable from a finger hole of a bowling ball or similar opening in which the plug is provided with a top opening through which the identification marker may readily be 'viewed and a side opening through Which the identifcation marker may be readily inserted and removed.

To stamp or impress any identification initials or other marks on the surface of a bowling ball would mar the surface of the ball and in such a case the desirable smooth surface would be adversely affected. This is especially so for a bowling ball owned by a proficient bowler. Since many bowlers own their own bowling ball and carry it with them from place to place, it is very desirable that a marker be provided to readily identify each ball. An identification tag past-ed on the ball is likewise undesirable as some paste remains on the ball when the tag is removed. The identification plug as set forth in this invention eliminates the undesirable characteristics of other types of identification markers, and is equally, if not more, effective for identifcation.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an identification plug which may be readily manufactured and marketed at a very reasonable price.

While it is true that most bowlers who own their own ball carry the ball in bag or satchel and have identification affixed to the bag, while at the bowling alley the ball is left on a racl; for some time and it is at this time and others when the ball is removed from container that identification means as set forth by this invention are particularly applicable.

To the foregoing objects, and. others which may hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings: j

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an identification plug inserted in a bowling ball,

Figure 2 is a view, partly in section, taken on the line`2- -2 of Figure l,

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a top plan viewof a modified form of plug,

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line 8-5 of Figure 4,

Figure '7 is a top plan view of a second modification of this plug,

Figure 8 is a side view, partly in section, taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7,

Figure 9 is a sectional View taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8,

Figure 10 is a third modification of this invention, and

Figure 11 is a section taken on the line lI-II of Figure 10.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 20 designates generally a bowling ball having a finger opening 2l. The identification plug 22 is partially insertible into the opening 2'. The plug body 22 is of a frustro-conical or generally tapering configuration so as to be applicable to various bowling balls having difierent sized openings 2'. The plug 22 may be made of wood, rubber, plastic, or any other suitable material. The top portion of the plug 22 is formed with an annular opening or recess 23 and a groove 24 in the side walls formed by the opening 23 resulting in a flange 25, overhanging the groove 24. A card 26 of paper or other suitable material is formed into a disc larger than the opening 23 and of suitable size to be retained in the slot 24. The identification marks are placed on this card 26. A second disc 2", of a size similar to the disc 26, is made of suitable transparent material and is inserted into the opening 23 and groove 24 over the card 26 to prevent obliteration of the marks on the card 26 by dirt or other substances tending to mark the card 26 when inserted into the plug 22.

A modification of this invention is exemplified in Figures 4, 5 and 6, wherein the plug 30, also of a frustro-conical configuration, is formed with a rectangular opening 3' in the top thereof, an opening 33 in the side of the plug se having a rectangular groove 32 about the edges thereof, through which a card 34 and a protective transparent sheet 35 may be removably inserted.

Another modification of this identification plug is shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9. In this modification the tapered plug 40 is formed at its upper end with a wide annular concavo-convex fiange 4' extending outwardly and downwardly around the finger opening 2'. Formed integrally with the plug 40 and fiange 4', a card support 42 extends upwardly from the fiange 4'. The card support 42 is formed with an opening 43 on one side, and a groove 44 on three sides of the inner surfaces formed by the opening 43.

An opening 45 in the side of the support 42 communicates with the groove 44 and opening 43, forming a passage whereby a card 40 and transparent sheet 41 may be inserted into the holder 42.

A third modified form of this invention is seen in Figures 10 and 11. In this form of the invention the plug 50 is of a generally tapering configuration and is formed with annular ribs 5' along the length of the plug 50, whereby the diameter of the ribs 5' becomes decreasingly smaller towards the bottom of the plug 50. For different sized finger openings in the ball 20 different ribs 5' will be in engagement with the sides of the hole, depending on the size of the hole. In the forms shown by Figures 1 through 9, the plug is wedged into the outer end of the opening 2', whereas in the form of Figures 10 and 11 the ribs 5' are pressed into the hole 2' and engage the sides of the opening.

The exact configuration illustrated is regarded as the optimum, but some of the desirable results inherent in this disclosure may be obtained by various slight modifications including some departure from the exact configuration shown, and it is therefore requested that the scope of the invention should be regarded as limited only by the terms of the claim.

What I claim is:

In combination With a bowling ball having a relatively deer) finger engaging aperture therein, a resilient frustro-conical identification plug comprising a single unitary member having a maximum diameter materially greater than the diameter of said aperture and a minimum diameter materially less than the diameter of said aperture whereby said plug may be partially inserted in said aperture and secured therein by wedging action, a material portion of said plug projecting from said opening whereby said plug may be readily removed, said plug having a recess in the upper end thereof, an undercut groove about said recess forming an overlying fiange, and an identification card removably insertable in said recess beneath said fiange.

FORREST W. BERRY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 341,442 Berghauer May 11, 1886 369,310 Alden Sept. 6, 1887 557,655 Dillingham Apr. 7, 1896 600,849 Brown Mar. 15, 1898 605,591 Webster June 14, 1898 985,354 Leet Feb. 28, 1911 1,476,G29 McOlvin Sept. 30, 1922 1,918,243 Bergaud June 29, 1931 2,263,052 Ross Nov. 18, 1941 2,338,994 Brittain Sept. 21, 1942 2,37 2,958 Keith Apr. 3, 1945 

